Abyssinian hare

Appearance

The Abyssinian hare resembles other hares in its general appearance, long limbs and large ears. It grows to a head-and-body length of between 40 and 55 cm. The fur is soft and dense. The upper parts are a grizzled silvery grey, with some black on the shoulder, back and rump. The hairs on the back are about 2 cm long and have greyish-white shafts, then a black band topped by a white or pale buff band, and often a black tip. The flanks are paler, the individual hairs having white shafts. The underparts are white, the fur being less dense than on the back. A thin cinnamon band separates the flanks from the underparts. The chin is whitish, and some individuals have whitish eyerings. The ears are very large, silvery-brown externally and whitish-buff inside. There is a black margin round the tips of the ears and a white fringe round the lower parts of the margin. The tail is 8.5 cm long, black above and white below.

Distribution

The Abyssinian hare is endemic to the Horn of Africa, being present in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. It occurs in savannah, grassland and steppe, as well as desert and semi-arid conditions where some scrubby vegetation is present to provide cover. It occurs to altitudes of about 2,000 m, and even higher in Ethiopia.

Habitat

The Abyssinian hare is endemic to the Horn of Africa, being present in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan. It occurs in savannah, grassland and steppe, as well as desert and semi-arid conditions where some scrubby vegetation is present to provide cover. It occurs to altitudes of about 2,000 m, and even higher in Ethiopia.